Microcapillary network based scaffold

Abstract

A scaffold is provided, the scaffold comprising: at least one inlet tube; at least one outlet tube; and a plurality of porous elongated microtubes, wherein each one of said porous elongated microtube has an inner diameter of 5-100 micrometers, wherein said plurality of elongated microtubes extend from said at least one inlet tube to said at least one outlet tube and is in fluid communication thereto, Further provided is a method for producing and using the scaffold, such a s for tissue engineering.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of producing a tissue, the method comprising:
 providing a scaffold comprising:
 at least one inlet tube; 
 at least one outlet tube; 
 a plurality of porous elongated microtubes, wherein each one of said porous elongated microtube has an inner diameter of  5 - 100  micrometers, wherein said plurality of elongated microtubes extend from said at least one inlet tube to said at least one outlet tube and is in fluid communication thereto; and 
 a plurality of fibers having a diameter range of  0 . 5 - 10  micrometers, wherein said plurality of fibers is dispersed upon a portion of each of said plurality of porous elongated microtubes; 
   seeding cells on said plurality of porous elongated microtubes of said scaffold; and   providing liquid containing nutrients through said inlet of said scaffold, so as to provide nutrients from pores of said plurality of porous elongated microtubes to said cells;   thereby producing said tissue.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein cells are seeded on and/or within said plurality of fibers. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said tissue is suitable for being implanted into a subject in need thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said inlet and said outlet of said scaffold is suitable for being surgically connected to a vascular system of a subject in need thereof, thereby providing fluid communication between the subject's vascular system and said scaffold. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said cells are selected from the group consisting of: adipose-derived stem cells, mesenchymal cells, mesenchymal stem cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, adipogenic cells, osteoprogenitors cells, osteoblasts, osteocytes, chondroblasts, chondrocytes and osteoclasts, endothelial progenitor cells, hematopoietic progenitor cells, micro vascular endothelial cells and macro vascular endothelial cells, beta cells, hepatocytes and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said scaffold further comprising plurality of bioactive particles embedded in between said plurality of fibers. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said bioactive particles have a range of 200-1500 micrometers in diameter. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of bioactive particles are one or more type of osteoconductive particles. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more types of the osteoconductive particles are selected from the group consisting of: calcium carbonate, hydroxyapatite (HA), demineralized bone material, morselized bone graft, cortical cancellous allograft, cortical cancellous autograft, cortical cancellous xenograft, tricalcium phosphate, corraline mineral and calcium sulfate. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of said scaffold is printed, molded, casted, polymerized, or electrospun. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said inlet tube, said outlet tube and said porous elongated microtubes are electrospun tubes. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said electrospun tubes comprise a polymer selected from the group consisting of: biodegradable polymers, non-biodegradable polymers and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of: polycaprolactone (PCL), polylactic acid (PLA), polyglycolic acid (PGA), and poly(Lactide-co-Glycolide) (PLGA), poly(orthoester), a poly(phosphazene), poly(or polycaprolactone, polyamide, polysaccharide, albumine and collagen. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said inlet tube and said outlet tube have a wall thickness range of 50-2,000 micrometers. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of porous elongated microtubes has a wall thickness range of 0.5-50 micrometers. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said inlet tube and said outlet tube have an inner diameter of range of 2,000-10,000 micrometers. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an average diameter of a pore of said plurality of porous elongated microtubes is 0.1-5 micrometers. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing the scaffold at least one agent for promoting cell adhesion, colonization, proliferation and/or differentiation. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one agent for promoting cell adhesion is selected from the group consisting of: gelatin, fibrin, fibronectin and collagen.